President Obama remains in the White House, the Democrats are still in charge of the Senate, and the Republicans retain the House.

The Democrats' near-sweep of close Senate races made for an unforgettable story, but the Democratic-Republican split is just one or two digits different. (Democrats will pick up two seats if Senator-elect Angus King, I-ME, decides to caucus with them.)

Think nothing has changed? Majority Leader Harry Reid strongly disagrees. And Tuesday, he offered an example of what the 2012 election could bring in Congress: a charge in the filibuster rules that are central to gridlock.

“I think the rules have been abused and that we’re going to work to change them. We’re not going to do away with the filibuster but we’re going to make the senate a more meaningful place. We’re going to make it so that we can get things done.”

Across the Rotunda, in the House, Republican Speaker John Boehner also indicated a change Wednesday, offering a new, clear concession in the fiscal cliff debate.

He told reporters that Republicans could agree to new government revenue if it is part of a deal including broad tax reform, entitlement reform, and spending cuts.

“If there is a mandate in this election, it is a mandate for us to work together.”

The political parties controlling Congress and the White House haven't changed, but immediately following the 2012 election, at least, the tone has changed.

Editor's Note: Listen to the complete story in the SoundCloud player above.

soundoff(181 Responses)

corncop

Someone please answer me this. Has Senator John McCain lost his cotton-pickin mind? First he screams bloody murder about the Libyan attack, calls everyone he can think of a lier and a cheat, well at least anyone who is a Democrat, then he does not even bother to show up at a classified briefing about those attacks? Guess he was just too busy doing Senatorial things, like having a news conference! And then he gets all upset when the press asked him why he did not attend the breifings??? On the very subject hes got his political back up about? Now Senator, I have great respect for your past service and sacrifice for your country, but your behavior is tilting to the bizarre! Maybe it is time you and some of your white-haired compadres went home to the old porch rocker? Partisan politics is one thing, but what I have seen from you in the past week has rocketed way beyond. You are brewing up a tempest in a teapot, and the whole thing is going to blow up in your face. Back off, shut up, and listen! You might just learn something!

The most fearful person in US is not a Republican congressman like Mr Boehner or a Democrat.
It is Grover Norquest. All republicans are afraid of him and will not act against his wishes/pledge.
Obama has to do some thing to disarm this demon.

The only ones that can truely do this is Boehner & McConnell. Norquist is actually protected by the fact they are in the middle. I don't understand why they are afraid of him, unless he controls some powerful purse strings.

He does. That's what happened to Dick Lugar. You cross The Norquist, he buys a ranting idiot to throw at you in your local Republican primary, where the only people voting are.....Republicans. This is also why the Senate did so well for Democrats. The moderate Republicans get run out by the frothing lunatics that pander to the idiot Tea Party base during the primaries, but those same Tea Partiers get creamed by Democrats in the actual election. Witness Akin, Mourdock, et al.

With all the gerrymandering and distric redistribution a congressman is virtually assured of reelection if they toe the party line. Why risk compromise if you can hide behind Boehner's or Pelosi's coattails? They will just keep kicking the can further down the road.

Sadly, in spite of Speaker Boeher's recognition that the election sent a message that the Nation expects Congress to act and not obstruct; until the Speaker can some how, some way, actually lead the House and not continue to allow a Paid Lobbyist, Grover Norquist, to be the de facto leader of the Republican Party; and until the Republican members of the House and Senate will honor their Oath of Office instead of their signature on Mr. Norquist's anti-American pledge, I am afraid we may be stuck with the Same Old Congress. One more election cycle should take care of that, though. One more cycle should eliminate the stranglehold the right wing nut jobs have held, even though they are a minority, on the Republican Party.

Then, true Republican Centrists may be able to move the Country forward again, as we have done before. Perhaps we can eliminate the corrupting influence that lobbyists, like the criminal Norquist, has had on the Republicans for the past years, and return to government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Until that time, I will, like many Centrist Republicans, continue to vote for Democrats, to eliminate right wing Republicans, as the only means available to bring reason back into politics and government.

You guys just don't get it. This is not so much about politics as it is about the republican refusal to change and their lack of acceptance of others. If you worship a differant God than they do, then they do not accept you or recognize you as part of their party. If you are gay, you are going against what their religion says and you are not accepted. They want the right to tell a women what she can and cannot do with her body. They teach intolerance while we try to teach our children tolerance of everybody regardless of who they worship, what their sexual preference is, and to respect their rights as a U.S citizen. What this says about the republican party is that they are the adult version of bullies. They do everything we teach our children not to do. Sounds like a party that practices stuff like this when we teach our children just the opposite can't survive. And I wouldn't want my children having their hands buried in the pockets of the rich up to their elbows. I think we are about to see a different party. The republican party is a dying breed.

We get that racism and greed are the sole drivers of liberal ideology today. The left no longer cares even tiny bit about the well being of the country. They care about the color of Obama's skin, they care about how big of a handout they're in line to get. That's it.

And it become even more obvious the more you point fingers at only one side of congress while flatly refusing to place any responsibility on Obama/Democrats complete refusal to compromise and engage in honest negotiation.

The problem is the republicans don't have a plan. They refuse Obama's ideas because they are bitter that they lost. Way to generalize all democrats racist too and all they care about is Obama skin color. Makes yourself sound real credible. Get with the times only developed country without universal healthcare and also one of the LEAST taxed nations in the world and yet some how our government is taxing us to death.

Grow up Greg the Mitt Flopney l0ser! You still crying? Well guess what! Get ready to cry some more because we're changing filinuster rules ! SO NO MORE C-Blocking from your beloved GOP party of " No! " New world order, grid lock obstructionists! WE BEAT YOUR A$$ in 2008 and BEAT YOU $KUMBAGS with a resounding NO right back at you! So grow the F up !

Agreed. I did not see a 3% increase in the marginal rate of the part of you income more than $250,000 will make a dent to your life style, think about the family realy suffered from the economic downturn and veterans from the war. Think what you can do for the country, instead of contributing your billions to political game to save you a percentage point, donate it to education and the future of the the country.

Hey There. I found your weblog the usage of msn. That is a very neatly written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of your helpful information. Thank you for the post. I'll definitely return.

The hope the GOP has realized that if was the TEA PARTY's actions over the last two years in congress that forced many moderate republicians to vote for Obama. Should they continue to try to obstruct further progress of our country by their silly acts, they will be gone in 2014.

Congress and Senate Smoke and Mirrors ""both parties” “”they say a lot but say nothing, windbags"" they are all Opinionated Narcissist that do not like each other, they will insult each other yell and fight block each other just to get their “”Insider Information ”” $$$$.
They are not representing the people they are supposed to be representing “ They are there for themselves and for the corrupt people with deep pockets ”, why do you think is called the ""Career Politician Millionaires Club"".
Need “TERM LIMITS” like the presidency, “TWO TERMS” for Congress and Senate, stop this corrupt career B.S._ Get Rid of These_ CROTCHETY SNARKY – OLD – FARTS _ In Both Parties _Congress and Senate.
If they cannot get what they want done in eight years, Let the other person take over, for their two terms.
Every eight years the corrupt people with the deep pockets will have to get a new puppet elected.
And if you're wondering who the corrupt people with deep pockets are, just look at the ones who get government contracts over and over again “like GE pay few or no taxes”, just to clue.
Congress and Senate are the Biggest Information Insiders, how many taxes do they pay? “They do not want to tax themselves”, And 99% deep pockets.

Well, if taxing the rich is the way to go. Perhaps they should take a look at what is going on in Greece. After multiple tax increases on the rich and cuts to pensions and labor, they have not got any more income and are not closer to balancing their budget. Now the talk is for the creditors to take another hair cut. Go figure.

Ummm... I think you missed the mark a little here. At issue in Greece isn't so much the taxes on the rich as the massive cuts to pensions and equally massive concessions by labor to which you alluded. Austerity simply doesn't work, and we owe Europe a debt of gratitude for that little demonstration.

As an aside, I'm curious as to what, exactly, the problem is with taxing the rich. I'd hope that they would pay their taxes every year just as I pay mine. We need to keep things in perspective here... we're not talking about returning the top tax brackets to the 91 or 70% that we saw under Eisenhower or Nixon, respectively (those socialist hippies!). We're talking about returning them from 33 and 35% to the Clinton-era rates of 36 and 39.5%. It's truly astounding that anyone has a problem with this, especially given that virtually no one pays those rates anyway. No one but the most deluded of partisans thinks that will close the deficit, but that's money that's being left on the table that would help. Now if we could just enforce those rates by closing loopholes that allow for offshoring money and counting most income as capital gains and maybe even limit deductions we might make some real progress.

In a sane world the top tax brackets would be a non-issue. The argument would be over when to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the rest of us, given that they equate to yet another unfunded liability. Doing so would nearly quadruple the cash flow from realized by "soaking the rich". Naturally it would be foolish to do so right now with such a fragile economy, but certainly we can have that discussion in another couple years, right?..... Yeah, you're right. Forget I mentioned it.....

Truthfully, I don't care if they raise the rate on the rich a little. But who, exactly, ARE the rich? I do not put someone who makes $250,000 in the same realm as a Donald Trump, even though that's the image that is constantly conjured up by the left. Why not $500,000 or a million instead? Compromise goes both ways. And Harry Reid is as much of a problem as John Boehner. He alone has stymied everything that has come out of the House of Reps. No debate on anything. No vote on anything. He needs to learn the big "C' word too. I'm sick of it. If I was Boehner, I'd give the Dems everything they want. But I would let the world know "I don't agree with it, but I'm going to let it go thru. It's the only way to see who was actually right about this whole thing." Right or wrong, it would end this stalemate. And if Harry Reid, Obama and the rest of the far left thinks this was some kind of "mandate", how do you explain the House remaining strongly Republican? Those men and women represent US. Obviously, a lot of US are still very concerned about the balance of power still. It would be wonderful if Obama and Reid and Boehner could all come together. Unfortunately, I don't think anything is going to get better. And from the looks of the stock market and the CEOs who have already started laying off, they don't think things are going to get better either.

The problem with raising income taxes on the wealthy is:
1) Around 47% of Americans pay no income tax at all, so why ask the wealthy to pay an even larger portion? We're all Americans and we all vote, so why shouldn't we all pay SOMETHING? I could support raising tax rates on wealthier Americans if everyone had to pay a little more and 80% of us paid some amou tof federal income tax.
2) We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Raising more revenue through taxation won't help reduce the defecit because the government will simply spend more, especially when 47% of citizens have no skin in the game. Enact REAL spending reform, especially for entitlements, and then we can talk about raising taxes for everyone.

Do you know who that 47% is? Many of them are infirm elderly who have paid taxes for generations but now have huge medical and nursing home bills that total two or three times or more of their annual income. You want them to pay more taxes? Some of them are single parents raising two or three kids on less than $20,000 a year. You want them to pay more taxes? Some of them are disabled adults, living on SSI and maybe working in a sheltered workshop. You want them to pay income taxes? Do a bit of research and quit spouting something someone said without understanding it. We all pay sales taxes: sales, fuel and often property taxes.Requiring 100 percent of Americans to pay income taxes is foolish, and quite frankly, pretty mean.

The Republicans tried to suppress an objective study done by a non-partisan government agency, clearly demonstrating that the rich are not generating jobs in correlation with lower/higher taxation. So the myth of "Job Creators" has been thoroughly debunked by now. In simple English, if we raise taxes on the rich, it will not have any decisive effect on the number of jobs created or lost. Any other objections to taxing the rich at the same rate as us?

Greece rich people are known to cheat on taxes. When you do not have good enforcement, inequitable tax laws, the culture of paying tax is stupid, the rate may be high, but the collection is very low. For example, they have a luxurious tax on swimming pool. In a very rich area, no body reports swimming pool and pay taxes, until government took aerial photo and found 2000 thousand swimming pools.

Republicans have learned that their childishly obstructionist "we won't work with you because we only do things our way" mantra isn't winning them voters. They blocked every one of the Democrats' bills that could have stimulated job growth, failing to provide a single one of their own in the meantime, and then had the audacity to call Obama a job killer. They dragged their feet on economic reform and chose instead to harp about abortion and birth control. It didn't work. I'm glad to see that they still have the mental capacity to learn from their mistakes...sometimes they make me wonder.

I think we should agree to disagree. Simply put, tax as a last resort, until "they" close that spigot of throwing money, we don't have, out the window! A budget has got to be worked out. The president knew so little, even his OWN DEMOCRATS couldn't bring themselves to vote for it. So don't blame one side or the other. The president is just now interested in balancing? Maybe should have thought of that 4 years ago, or when the panel he assigned gave him a good beginning to fiscal responsibility. Golf, anyone????

It was a bogus surplus, based on rosy projections for the next 10 years. It did not take into account 9/11 or Afghaniztan or Iraq or the China economic boom or the oil price surge, etc. The projected surplus was something like 5.6 trillion, but the Bush tax cuts were only around 1.5 trillion. The remaining 4.1 trillion never materialized. And the Bush tax cuts are mostly responsible for the fact that only 53% of Aemricans pay any federal income tax today (so much for Democratic party propaganda about "tax cuts for the wealthy".) Now Democrats don't want to let most of those tax cuts expire, only for the wealthy. Problem is, most of the cost of continuing those tax cuts is found in the ones for people making < $250K, not the wealthy as Democrats would like you to believe. If you want to reduce the defecit, the biggest factor in doing it is letting the tax cuts expire for all. Now how many people will vote for that, given that then most of us will be paying more and not just the "wealthy"?

The tone may have changed for today. But it will not last long. Obama will not negotiate on spending and will only demand tax increases. It's possible he may negotiate on reducing deductions rather than tax rates to increase taxes. But the democrats will spend any increases rather than pay down debt. Obama says he will reduce the debt by 4 trillion over 10 years. However, raising income taxes on those earning 250k and above will only produce 900 billion over 10 years. Where will he get the other 3 trillion? The numbers don't add up.

Actually, what Obama has been saying, during the campaign and in the debates, is that he wants 1 dollar of tax increases for every 2.5 dollars of spending cuts. 900 billion x 3.5 = 3.15 trillion. Add to that the savings from withdrawal from Afghanistan and you're over the 4 trillion mark.
You may not agree with everything he's looking a cutting and you may not like the places he will want to increase spending, but like the man or not, at least be familiar with what he's said.

Are you serious Mikey? He has been pushing for compromise the last four years all while every half cocked Republican primary candidate stood on stage in front of America and promised they would not compromise even one dollar of revenue for ten in cuts. Maybe you and Grover Norquist should stop with the Koch Kool Aid and have a reality check.

The fact that Ameicans watched for four years as Obama tried desperately to work across the isles with the GOP, and even some of his own, that is why Americans wanted to give him another four years. Hopefully those who did not want him to succeed and fought all that he tried to do has now noticed that America was watching. You in Congress work for us, the tax payer. We pay your huge salary.

Well Debbie, it's called Gerrymandering. Basically what it means, is that when you get to control how the district lines are drawn, you can draw them in a way to maximize your "likely voters" and make it hard for the oppositions votes to matter (usually even resulting in a loss, regardless of the popular vote). It's common, and it's disgusting.

For the 1st 2 of Obama's 4 years, he had Democrats in control of both houses of Congress. Enough of these excuses about how Republicans prevented change. The Dems had control of all 3 branches of government and still could not produce a budget. Get real please.

With its low approvaal rating I am surprised we re-elected any of them. Personally I voted against Upton but for Stabenow because Hoekstra was one of those traitors who signed the pact to ruin Obama at all cost – even the future of America – plus he made some other stupid comment that showed him to be the witless ninny most of us from Michigan knew he was in the beginning.

Now it´s time to get rid of republican congressmen that refuse to work ! They sat there holding America Hostage !
Their goal was to make Mr. Obama a one term president . But it didn´t work did it ? There´s one thing they
forgot America hates bullies and traitors and that´s what the GOP was and is .

Time to have Reid pull his head out of his backside and actually do it his job. He has refused to bring hundreds of bills to the floor, blocking all attempts at compromise, then calling foul on the house. Reid is the obstructionist, and then trying to blame the other side.

EXACTLY! Apparently the only kind of "compromise" that Democrats know are the kind that gives them everything they ask for. Compromise does not mean Republicans roll over on everything. But I'm so sick of things now, I would give them everything they ask for and tell them "there ya go. you OWN it now. Can't blame Bush anymore."

Get rid of the obstructionist Repubs. No choice. First to go – Mitch McConnell MUST GO. Second – Eric Cantor MUST GO. John Boehner – if he continues to be a puppet, he too must go. Not rocket science. These people hold Grover Norquist as their supreme leader with no thought to the good of the American people. THEY MUST GO.

I agree. These member of Congress owe their allegiance to their constituents, not Grover Norquist. Any of them who signed a pledge should immediately tell Grover they will not honor the pledge and basically tell him to take a hike!

Tom, value added taxes can run up the price of many items, particularly food, really fast. Consider, I sell 100 bushels of corn to my neighbor, and collect sales tax. He feeds it to his cattle. When he sells the cows, he collects tax on them but not on the corn they ate. But if I sell 100 bushels of corn to the co-op, its taxed. The co-0p sells it to the ADM plant in St. Louis and its taxed. ADM sells it to a crushing plant, and its taxed. The crushing plant sells the oil and the feed grain salvaged from the crushing, and both are taxed. The oil ends up at Mazola, where its put in a bottle and sells it to Associated Grocers, a wholesaler, and its taxed. AG sells it to my local supermarket, and its taxed. I buy it and its taxed. I've lost track of how many times that corn was taxed before I fried a pork chop in it, but it was a bunch of times.

And to add to this: the CEO of the corn growing company wants his million dollar bonus, so it gets priced in. The CEO of ADM wants his million dollar bonus as well, so it gets priced in. The CEO of the bank that loaned the money to the farm to plant the corn also wants millions in bonuses too, so that has to be priced into his loan/deposit spread. The CEO of the crushing plant wants his million dollar bonus, and it gets priced in. So you have two groups pushing for price additions that aren't related to the product. One of those groups squirrels away the money so that it doesn't do anyone any good. The other one builds and maintains roads, patrols them, and provides plenty of value to those companies. You complained only about the second one, without which you wouldn't have a free market to sell goods in the first place. I'd suggest, if you are that concerned about price, you take a look at the first group.

Oh? Please do point to some examples of that occurring. It's a very nice theory that some start-up is going to come in and show all the big boys how to do things and somehow drive down pricing. The reality is that the market has already determined what price the customer is willing to pay and any competitor will likely not have lower prices for long, either because they need to recoup the cost of the initial investment or because they know they can charge the same as the big boys and still get customers and make it up on margin versus volume. Companies all over offering "lower prices" and then making it up in fees or in those lower prices being introductory offers or some such crap. Then all the companies in that category just keep jacking the price higher and higher. The other reality is that those new businesses have to find money to start-up, where does the money come from? The same investors that are already invested in their competitors. So then it's the shareholders who are driving the policies, products and pricing among several businesses they are invested in.

Wolfgang W Halbig • a few seconds ago
"In 1989, a senior director of the Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory told the fifty governors of American states that year assembled to discuss government schooling, "What we’re into is total restructuring of society." It doesn’t get much plainer than that. There is no record of a single governor objecting.

Two years later Gerald Bracey, a leading professional consultant for government schooling, wrote in his annual report to clients: "We must continue to produce an uneducated social class."

The government is doing a great job in producing this uneducated class by watching everyday how men and women rob a jiffy store, pharmacy, gas station, carjack someone, snatch a purse from an old lady, grocery store, dry cleaner and now Chines fast food stores.

How stupid can that be? They will not get much money, it is a State Crime and will be locked up in a State Prison which next to County Jails does not offer much as far as education, medical care, job training programs, old used exercise equipment and the living conditions are unsanitary.

If they where educated they would rob a Bank, and if you are going to rob a bank do it during the heaviest rain and thunder storm because law enforcement officers do not want to get wet and their uniforms will smell after having them dry cleaned or commit a crime on an Indian Reservation which are Federal Crimes which provides them quality living conditions which are not overcrowded, they can have a college degree by the time they get out, get work job training programs, great library, lot of ex lawyers that can help them, lots of conjugal visits and great uniforms and up to date exercise equipment and lounge areas with the latest news channels.

Now you can see why the uneducated does not understand the benefits available to them, they are lazy and fail to compare facilities and opportunities if they have made up their minds in stealing. They don't know any better.

That is why we have so many in prison today they just don't get it. You will get caught.

I am not recommending to anyone to rob a bank or commit a crime on an Indian Reservation I was just trying to show that what the Government is doing by maintaining an uneducated social class this crimes will only get worse.

And for the record, bank robbers get caught more than 90% of the time, and rarely get more than a couple thousand dollars. Also, any police officer would run into a rain storm to stop a bank robber, even if it does get their uniform wet.

Clearly the burden is now on Obama to give up his my-way-or-the-highway attitude and make compromises. Now that voters have taken any mandate away from the President by re-electing him by a far smaller total than last time, he has to learn to stop be arrogant and belligerent all the time. He can't get away with petty "I won" rants any longer as a way to prevent anyone else from being able to offer suggestions.

Only in the Republican echo-chamber can someone have the chutzpah to say that Obama has been the one who would not compromise. Truth is, he compromised over and over again with the Party of No and got stiffed for his efforts.

I don't see any mandate from anybody... YET. There is a message though and a warning to the GOP that it's time to give up the selfish destructive me first attitude. The demographic in this country is changing and money can no longer be counted on to buy an election. The good ol boys club is soon to become extinct unless they change. The outcome of the next election cycle will have dire consequences for the GOP if they continue down the path of selfish self-righteous ignorance.

Let the children grow up this term and return to taking care of America's business. Hats off to Speaker John Boehner wiping his tears away and acknowledging the mandate. Wow – please let it be that these grown men and women start representing their constituents, reaching accross the isle, and actually get something done. God Bless America, our freedom's, and our dreams.

You liberals amaze me. I really wish there were a way to divide this country down the middle and build a wall like they did in Germany and see how long it would take you tree huggers to start digging tunnels to our side just to feed yourselves. A civil war is what I'm describing and it's not too far out of the possibility if you people don't realize that people are getting tired of giving and giving to freeloaders!

Democrat= Politician who votes for welfare for the weakest of society, corporations and millionaires.
Republican= Politician who votes for welfare for corporations, millionaires and screw the weakest of society,
Independent= Sees Democrats and Republicans for the fraud they are. Picks each to balance the damage both cause. Does not believe the millionaires have a divine right to pay less % than the middle class, nor free loaders to live without work. *Note- Free loaders are defined as those able to work, but won't because it's easier to get a check for doing nothing- Also known to Republicans as "Anyone taking help, even if they need it and can't work"-Also known to Democrats as anyone that wants it and will vote for them.

I trust you are writing about the Illegal Population and not Americans who have built this nation. People on food stamps are there because Bush and Bunch allowed all the jobs to move over seas. Loss of jobs and homes, four years ago, people have finally run out of their saved resources and have to depend on food stamps until jobs improve. Why is it that we gladly support others in every nations by sending them billions in aid but have little concern for our own. Says some things about the way we view our own. Let them starve – I got mine!

In the days to come, you will continue to hear the CEOs, the business owners and the ultra rich speak their mantra, that we are all out to "Redistribute the wealth". To an extent, they are right. But only that wealth that has already been maldistributed for decades. No successful company should rise its owners and CEOs to Millionaire status, while still paying its working force minimum wage. As a company prospers, so must all its hierarchy proportionately.

Too bad you do not realize, that the Conservatives are the ones giving time, money, and efforts to help the downtrodden. It has been proven time after time that the conservatives are the people giving the most, liberals are cheap, and give little back. (Not to say there are not giving liberals, but just many less people and give less)

Donating money to a church for the purpose of forcing legislation against women, gays and muslims is not "charity" and should not be considered as such. Sadly, it is. That's where the vast bulk of your "conservative charity" comes from.

Yeah like the Kennedy's didn't? Like Bill Clinton doesn't? He was convicted of lying to congress so the American people don't care about skeletons that's the sad part of all of this. Clinton made $10,000,000 last year as a speaker. What is he an expert on, how to get a white stain out of a dress???????

If it hadn't been for the obdurate McConnell and his cohorts the Senate would not have been nearly as dysfunctional. Voters are tired of the gridlock. Obama won and McConnell lost. His goal of preventing Obama a second term president failed miserably. McConnell is fortunate that he is not sitting across the table from LBJ.

Oh I bet he wishes it were anyone else. Posture and pretend! Obama hasn't a clue. Should have surrounded himself with a more practical crew of experts; maybe some with real world experience – and even then I don't think he would absorb. BHO is always the smartest one in the room, don't ya know?

Mr. President, you're a superb speaker... now its time to be a GREAT President... "Actions speak louder than talk" I'm a retired Teamster, put that hammer down Bo, and roll over those Teapunks if they can't anything but block legislation, make a mark on your next new term... for God's sake and our nation. We the people have your back and we'll give all the support you need... if you will just listen to us.

Hell the Republicans have tried to introduce legislation in the senate and Hairy Reid has refused to bring the House bills to the floor. It is the responsibility of the republican minority to keep the job and economy crushing bills that Hairy has tried to push from becoming law.

If you cannot adapt to the changes you hasten your own political demise.

Republicans in the House are in a bind: if they are more accommodating to women, minorities, and work seekers they face competition from within their own party in their over-gerrymandered districts. If they don't, they will ultimately lose anyway. The party has to change, and party leaders have to bring the rank and file with them in order to give them cover.

Well, after this election, the debt and deficit must not be nearly as scary and we conservatives think it is. So, I have decided to retire early. For me that's 22 months away to get to 55. I would like to have a few years of retirement before the shet hits the fan. Also I have decided it you can't beat them, then might as well join them. So I have decided to also apply for SS disability after I retire and join all the other healthy people who went on it this year. More power to the takers.

You are an idiot. People don't just apply for ss disability and get it! It took my husband 3 years and he had cancer, 3 heart attacks, diabetes and several other problems. His doctor said his heart was so bad he didn't need to be up walking much. Social Security said well you can't walk, you can't stand, you can't sit but you can think! Rejected. So you have fun with that getting ss when you are healthy. I know this is a lot of info for your small little brain but you can't always SEE a disability!

You are truly disgusting. I have a handicapped child on SSI and I resent your slam against those who need help. Karma has a way of getting back at you. Maybe you indeed will be so ill that you will need SSI.

You "conservatives" SHOULD understand the debt and deficit since it was you who created it with your tax breaks for the wealthiest while they invested outside the US and moved our jobs to China and India, put us in not one, but two, unfunded wars and bankrupted the country and the world through your complete disregard for financial industry fraud while blaming it all on Clinton and then Obama.

Go ahead – retire early. You are not eligible for SS until at least 62, and you will not get MedicAID or SS Disability, either. You were dumb enough to put your faith in McPalin and then in magic underwear Mitt from Kolob, so it makes sense that you would be dumb enough to retire before 55. A bunch of my close friends from high school did that same thing in the late 90's and early-2000's. All were/are very staunch conservatives. They lived on country club properties in very nice houses. They wanted Bush and they got him. Then, his policies drove their bus off the cliff and they had to move to much more modest abodes and go back to work after losing the vast majority of their retirement income. They are still conservative, but they are really PO'ed at the way the conservatives they trusted sold them out to the Top 1%.

Attitudes like yours are the very reason why Obama was re-elected by more than 3 million popular votes and an electoral college landslide. Keep it up and in 2016 you can celebrate president Hilary with us.

Wes W O W loved your post. It is saying what most everyone who voted for Obama in this election was thinking. The Republicans refuse to admit what a total failure Bush was and what he did to our nation. You would think they would also want someone like Obama running this nation. I do and I voted for him this time around. Really proud of myself. Now if they don't work with him – Hilliary in 2016 or Wes Scott!!

Are you that Tea Party animal that shoved the diabled person on national television? May you always be cozy, but then again, there is no way to gaurantee that you will always be "set" and never need help. Lucky if can pull it off. My son recieves ssd for a mental diability. They take out $130 a month for his health insurance, leaving him over $600 for living expenses. He is not on food stamps or any other program. Can you live on $600 a month? Neither can he, so even though he is severly handicapped, he works part time. He is 40 years old and is not going to get better. Kiss my behind.

If this is really TRUE with the GOP, then the republicans & tea party congressmen & congresswomen & senators need to make a public burning of the pledges they signed to GROVER NORQUIST. They need to be transparent in their intentions, they need to be representing ' WE THE PEOPLE" NOT GROVER NORQUIST. Their doing his bidding, not what the American people want, except for the 1%!!!!!!! HOW CAN WE TRUST THE GOP, it seems their in office for their own personal interest & agenda and they don't give a da– about the PEOPLE. THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED!!!!!!! They took an oath of office to do the job & represent the People not Norquist!!!!! I'm tired of paying their salary & a lifetime of medical insurance on them when they DO NOTHING but cost us money & valuable time. They caused an additional 50 million to our deficit to appeal HEALTH CARE 53 times to the supreme court. Not voting on the Debt ceiling caused Stock Market to crash which I personally lost $8,000.00 in our 401's. THIS IS TREASON!!!!!All for GROVER!!!!!! I"M VERY ANGRY AT THE NEWS MEDIA & THE SO CALLED JOURNALIST OF THE UNITED STATES,IT'S THEIR JOB TO INVESTIGATE & REPORT POLITICAL CORRUPTION WITHIN A POLITICAL PARTY- INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ANYMORE OF THESE NON-AMERICANS OF BEING VOTED INTO OFFICE & FURTHER DESTROYING OUR DEMOCRACY. So, if their serious, the only way the American people will be convinced is to have a public burning of all of Grover's PLEDGES on the STEPS of CONGRESS!!!!THE ONLY PLEDGE OR OATH A PUBLIC SERVANT SHOULD TAKE IS THE OATH OF OFFICE TO REPRESENT THE AMERICAN CITIZENS INTEREST, WE PAY THEIR SALARY. If you didn't do your job – you would be fired.PLEASE GO TO CHANGE.ORG & SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP THIS INSANITY. NO OTHER POLITICAL PARTY HAS EVER PULLED THIS CRAP!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, THIS NEEDS TO BE OUT THERE. SO WHAT'S THE NEWS MEDIA'S EXCUSE FOR NOT REPORTING ON THIS GROVER NORQUIST TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE,HIS STORY SHOULD BE EXPOSED AS IT REALLY IS,HIS TIES TO TERRORIST,HIS MUSLIM WIFE FROM PALESTINE AND MONEY GOING TO FUND HER RELATIVES IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR TERRORIST ACTS,ONE HAS ALREADY BEEN CONVICTED AND JAILED.PLEASE GOOGLE HIM ALONG WITH KARL ROVE & REV. REED. ALL THAT SUPER-PAC MONEY JUST WAITING TO BE SIPHON OFF TO WHO KNOWS WHERE,UNTRACEABLE, JUST THE WAY THEY LIKE IT.WHO WILL RUN THE UNITED STATES? WE THE PEOPLE OR A FOREIGN COUNTRY IN DISGUISE AS GOP? SO,GOP NEEDS TO CLEAN HOUSE AND THROW OUT GROVER AND THEIR UN-AMERICAN PLEDGE,THEY WORK FOR US NOT GROVER.PLEASE GET ENLIGHTENED,TELL YOUR GOP'ers TO BURN THEIR PLEDGES OR THEIR JOBS WILL BE GONE!!!!!!!!IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS-IT'S DANGEROUS! KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! WHY DO YOU THINK THEIR SO AGAINST EDUCATION,THEY WANT TO KEEP THE POOR & MIDDLE CLASS STUPID,SO THEY CAN CONTROL YOU WITH THEIR EVERLASTING LIES-THAT'S THEIR MANTRA-TAKE CONTROL AND RE-DO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. I'M NOT PARANOID -I'M EDUCATED AND I READ A LOT WITH AN OPEN MIND,BUT,WHEN ALL THE FACTS ARE THERE BLACK ON WHITE( PRINT ) YOU CAN NOT PUT YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND ANY LONGER-THE TRUTH HAS A WAY OF GETTING OUT THERE-IT'S UP TO US TO DEMAND THE BURNING OF THE GROVER NORQUIST PLEDGE!!!!!!!!

Sure you can! There are some things that are against the law. Treason is one! People think that just because "the majority" wants something they should do it. Well buddy that's why we have a constitution! I believe the Germans were behind Hitler but they still tried them at Neurenberg!

If I hired a hitman to kill somebody and it was discovered, then I would be just as guilty in the eyes of the law as the hitman. The fact that people elected somebody to public office who then did not serve the best public interest does not excuse either the politician or the stupid voter who sent a crook to do the peoples' business. It IS treason – plain and simple. And, signing a Norquist pledge is also an act of treason for which everybody who signed should be removed from office.

Having an ideology is one thing, but using that ideology against the best interest of the nation is altogether different and unacceptable. RepubliKKKans have proven themselves to be unrepentant liars. It is their onus to prove they are now different, and if they fail to do that, then in 2 year Obama will have an all-Democratic Congress to help him ramrod his agenda through for the benefit of the nation.

You DO remember how the republiKKKans, under Bush, rammed everything through Congress without even asking the opinions of Democrats, don't you? Or, do you practice selective memory? I assure you that many of us who are not CONservative DO remember all too well!

We need to find a way to bring the jobs back to America. After the huge amount of unsafe products coming from overseas markets (from dry wall, to baby formula, to dog food), could we pass a STRONG law that denies a company its right to sell its products in our markets if: They do not follow our EPA rules and regulations, follow our OSHA safety rules, follow our child labor laws, food inspection and regulation, and all the other regulations companies in America have to follow. Doesn’t matter where the factory is in the world, it wouldn’t be a tariff. For the health, safety, and welfare of our citizens, you will not be allowed to sell in America. We wouldn’t be telling other governments how to run their manufacturing sector. If they want to let companies manufacture crappy and dangerous things fine, sell them in China, let the Chinese government protect its citizens. If the company doesn’t follow our rules (not the government of the country the company is in) you will not be allowed access to the American markets. It might not be so profitable to take a company overseas to take advantage of a corrupt or weak government just to escape our manufacturing laws to, sicken, injure, pollute, work children, and kill the local populace for pennies a day just to make more money. (Bhopal India disaster) We would be doing the world a great service.

I definitely agree here. Bringing jobs home is so important, and stimulating small business. That is what Romney was planning. Obama wants to tax and red tape our business, so he can pay for Obamacare.

Obama doesn't understand if you punish success, you will get less of it. I just hope he learns fast.

President Obama wanted to bring those jobs home and congress would not approve it. He wants to tax companies moving over seas so much that they will stay in the USA. Congress is against that too. As a matter of fact congress fougnt most everything he tried to do for us. Obvious reason they did not want him to succeed at anything. Hopefully this election will show them that we are watching and they should work with our president.

I find it hard to understand how Obama could not get his agenda passed. For a while he had the perfect storm a democratic congress and a democratic senate. He was able to pass HIS healthcare bill instead of having healthcare reform. He never got a budget passed and the deficit is higher than it has ever been. I am tired of this political party crap. I would like to see our elected officials do a better job for the sake of the country. I think things will get worse cause now Obama has nothing to loose he has 4 more years.

You need to stop eating at the Bullyard Diner. Starting with Reagan and the leveraged buyouts of American companies republiKKKans have been laying off American workers, selling off assets and moving our jobs to cheaper labor markets around the world. Romney made millions doing just that. When he was governor of Massachusetts they were 47th in jobs creation. Romney was NOT going to create jobs here other than meanial labor jobs paying at or below minimum wages. The voters saw that and decided to keep Obama. Your lies are not working. You lost. get over it!

Obama inherited a jobs market and economy in republiKKKan freefall, and has turned it around. We still have a long way to go, but your lies about "ObamaCare", which is really just "RomneyCare", have been proven by every objective measurement to be false. With Romney our new jobs would have been in the MIC and the military as we prepared to invade Iran and start another unfunded Middle East war with no intention of actually fighting to win because the MIC loves long, sustained conflict without winners and losers since attrition of weapons systems makes a mint for them.

You suffer for anal occulosis. Pull your head out and start breathing fresh air!

Some of those jobs are gone forever, not because of greed, but because there are folks in India or China or Korea willing to do it for far less than Americans. We all like to pay less for products, and so business ships manufacturing jobs overseas where they can cut costs. We did this one to ourselves folks, no bogey man to blame for it. Labor unions demanded higher and higher wages and we priced our labor right out of the marketplace.

What ever country is willing and able to pay its working class the least, will be able to make the cheapest and most profitable product. So, in this "Globalized" economy, that means that the least evolved, and least American society wins. We need to find a way around this problem. We need to establish standards for our trade policies.

Something that we are beginning to do out here in the midwest is to list the country of origin on the price label for products in department stores. Costs basically nothing, bothers noone, provides information. What is interesting is that after asking consumers about their buying practices, many would like to buy domestically produced goods, but are in a hurry when shopping, or just don't want to spend the effort to research where products are made. Just by indicating the origin of products on the tag, similar to how some stores indicate price per ounce of products, or etc. domestically produced products increase market share significantly. Without having to impose tariffs (whether you believe they should be imposed or not, it is a lot easier to get labels changed, than a tariff bill passed through the government.)...

I hope they have learned their lesson that the American people are tired of their sand bagging on special projects that Obama tried to enact to help us-. Like the JOBS act that they refused to approve. That would have given education to American to preform important scientific jobs being given to foreigners. If they don't wake up this four years and realize that we do not appreciate the disrespect given our president – GOP party may as well go away.

Dott you are one kool aid drinking liberal. Economy sucks, 23 million people out of work, 49 million peeps on EBT and it goes on and on and on and on and on. It's all bushes fault and the last four years is not Obama's fault at all. Your blind to the truth absolutely blind. I don't even know what to say to people who post crap like you. Think it's bad now wait four more years, it will be a real mess by then.

Just out of curiosity, what planet are you from? I'm a business owner with over 100 on pay roll, EX – Republican and a Economics IS my thing.
What alternative reality do you live on?
I give Health-care, always have, I consider it a right and a social OBLIGATION that works to the profit of the Company.
I also have offices in Germany and by law HEALTH-CARE is a non-discussed fact of life.
As for the Obama Policies, I could NOT agree MORE with him, and wish he would be able to really implement his ideas.
I voted Republican most of my life, I am still a registered Republican, BUT the GOP is dead, I hear ONLY DRIVEL no ideas that would help me take my business ANYWHERE let alone to new heights. Trickle down economics is only for FRINGE LOONIES.
now go get a life and study some more.
Mr President, YOU have MY trust and my vote, please proceed.

Heath AHHH drinking the old cool aid spin again. You should try it. I did not vote for Obama first time but as he struggled trying to pull us out of the Bush and Cheney toilet I took notice, as obviously did others. The GOP was so determined to win in 2012 they totally forgot that they work for US.- all three parties and now they have paid for it. We saw, we listened and now it is time for the Republican party to respect the USA president regardless his color of skin!! Bush was such a horrible example for a president – perhaps it is a stran of stupidity that runs rampid in that party. Something happened to the GOP in the past decade and I hated it. I WAS a Republican when it was not a ME party.

Ahhh the racist card again, so predictable. Your a joke and a left leaner to the highest degree. I voted for Obama the first time so there goes your racist angle. People like you will literally destroy this country from the inside out. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme that's all you care about is your shit and your life not the next generation. If the economy is in the tank in 8 years you will still blame anyone but Obama, crazy. I just laid 10 people off my company because of the economy and it was Obama's economy. But no fear, he will create jobs for those former workers that I had to let go.

Ahhh the racist card again, so predictable. Your a joke and a left leaner to the highest degree. I voted for Obama the first time so there goes your racist angle. People like you will literally destroy this country from the inside out. Gimme, Gimme, Gimme that's all you care about is your shit and your life not the next generation. If the economy is in the tank in 8 years you will still blame anyone but Obama, crazy. I just laid 10 people off my company because of the economy and it was Obama's economy. But no fear, he will create jobs for those former workers that I had to let go. You are literally clueless

What has happened to the Republican party has not happened in the last 10 years....it actually started with Harding and every time the GOP takes power and starts with their tax cuts for the rich...trickle down nonsense we all wind up flushed.
Hoover did it, Goldwater would have liked to, Reagan left a mess for Clinton to clean up, then Bush. Business men my aunt fanny....Harding, Hoover and GW Bush had credentials as business men. It suspends all logic that they would think you can run two wars, and and a new drug plan without providing funding, and in fact by cutting the tax rate and cutting the capital gains tax rate to the bone therefore defunding rather than supplying the revenue to pay for these things. No business person with an ounce of good sense is going to do that without bankrupting their company. If we have learned anything from each failed try....nothing trickles down once the rich get their hands on it. And the spoiled people at the top and those bought by them in congress have forgotten they took an oath to serve all the American people...not just the Koch brothers, Karl Rove, Donald Dump, and Grover Norquist.

It is people like you who make insulting comments like how stupid Republicans are that are the cause of what's wrong with the country. We can't just respectfully disagree on the policies. No, someone else is a moron or evil or greedy and that's why everything isn't smelling like roses. There are more college-educated Republicans than Democrats, so there goes that argument. The bottom line is both sides need to stop believing everything politicians say on TV and think for themselves.

The math does not lie. We are in for some major pain if we don't get a handle on entitlement spending. And take a guess: which is larger, spending on defense or paying interest on the national debt? Regardless of your opinion on the need for social spending and what is fair, we can't spend money we don't have, and no amount of taxation will keep pace with the expected growth in entitlement spending.

I know it does not work this way so i understand that Boehner thinks he has mandate but the bottom line is that more Votes went to DEMs in Congress than went to GOPs in Congress.
Redistricting is the only reason the GOP has control of the house. They may have been smart enough to play that card, and play it well, but to Claim that the GOP congress has mandate is borderline delusional.
The USA electorate for President, Senate and House Voted DEM.
The Republicans would do well to remember this, with people relocationg at a rapid rate now days, the GOP position is a lot weaker than they seem to understand.

I am one of the many young Americans that struggle everyday. I work and work and work and work! The crazy thing is the more money that I make the less money I get back. I have been forced to move to the city not because I can't afford to live somewhere nicer, but because I choice to be responsible about how I spend the change that come back to me as a pay check. I understand very much that the rich have worked hard but it is people like me that support the "rich funding" either by buying products, going to their hotels, or shopping in their department stores. So I share my money and I dont feel that it is right that the rich can't help the economy a little more, key word being little. Think about it this way the most successful peopel in this world actors, hotel owners, store owners, automobile company owners, financial companies, etc. If it was not for me going to buy there product they would be where I am today. It's not always how hard you work, where you work, but who you know. It takes money to make money.

Jobs lost under the Bushes is the reason that people now four years later are desperate. They lost their jobs, health insurance, homes and need food. That was a brilliant statement Romney made when he said that he was not worried about the poor, "we have things in place to take care of them. " Like food stamps, welfare and etc. Then he brilliantly stated "I plan to get rid of that." And you wonder why he lost.

I am a Registered Republican, and I voted Obama, two reasons for that really. One, PEOPLE LIKE YOU in the GOP (loonies)
Two, people like the above poster in our country. They deserve MY attention, they move our economy, and trust me I pay more in taxes in a month then you in 10 years, and I am prepared to pay my FAIR share.
anyways congrats, YOU and the rest of the Tea Party DESTROYED the GOP.
PS: do you know what a republican in California represents? NOTHING republicans are OBSOLETE there, DEMS have a super-majority hows that for a wake up call?

That was for Mark LM.
We are a socialist country and we always have been....that is a country where people joining together and work together to make life better for everyone....not just a privileged few. This is not Nazi German where everything is for the uberclass and everyone else is regulated to the gas chamber.

A man has a vision, a business idea. It works. He finds a demand and is able to satisfy it. But what is this? He needs help? He can't carry this great load of work alone? Why does ANYONE think it was ever fair that he should become a millionaire and still pay minimum wage to all the people doing the work that got him there. We must reinvent what an American Business is. If the business prospers, all levels of its hierarchy should prosper proportionately!

"Abused and demonized us that work harder and smarter"? Hardly.

In the days to come, you will continue to hear the CEOs, the business owners and the ultra rich speak their mantra, that we are all out to "Redistribute the wealth". To an extent, they are right. But only that wealth that has already been maldistributed for decades. No successful company should rise its owners and CEOs to Millionaire status, while still paying its working force minimum wage. As a company prospers, so must all its hierarchy proportionately.

A man has a vision, a business idea. It works. He finds a demand and is able to satisfy it. But what is this? He needs help? He can't carry this great load of work alone? Why does ANYONE think it was ever fair that he should become a millionaire and still pay minimum wage to all the people doing the work that got him there. We must reinvent what an American Business is. If the business prospers, all levels of its hierarchy should prosper proportionately!

"Abused and demonized us that work harder and smarter"? Hardly.

In the days to come, you will continue to hear the CEOs, the business owners and the ultra rich speak their mantra, that we are all out to "Redistribute the wealth". To an extent, they are right. But only that wealth that has already been maldistributed for decades. No successful company should rise its owners and CEOs to Millionaire status, while still paying its working force minimum wage. As a company prospers, so must all its hierarchy proportionately.

Listen folks, I'm on SSS & get a tiny pension, that combined I paid MORE percentage wise in federal taxes than Romney!
What ALL of these KNUCKLEHEADS should do is to sit down, shut up, listen to each other & work on a reasonable plan....
that's all we want. If they can hammer out a joint plan think of how much more they can accomplish. I think, Boehner, McConnell, & Ryan to just sit it out & let the other guys come up with a feasible solution. It can be done, & it better be done.

Mona – a. you should be more upset at the millions of people that effectively pay nothing into the system. b. Romney paid an effective lower tax rate because his income comes from investments. What too many sheep seem to not understand is that most if not all that money was taxed initially when he was paid while working at the two 'Bain' companies, just like you, me or anyone else. Also remember there were no 401k's for the majority of his 'working' career... People, of any tax bracket, should have to pay as little as possible from invested mony, you included Mona. Everyone will see increases in one type of tax or another, it won't be just the 'rich' that get hit. Retirees may not have to pay more, but their dollars will buy less due to the crazy train we are on to Inflation.. why on Earth 50+ million people can't understand that is beyond me.

DE NP - Your math is weak ! ! ! . Virtually EVERYONE pays into the system ! ! - Many at an INFINITE TAX RATE -
Let's look first those who pay NO taxes of ANY sort at all, NOT just Income Taxes. Well, apart from a very few, THAT Class is quite empty.

Now let's look at tax rates, where Tax Rate = ALL (NOT just Income ) Taxes Paid / Discretionary Income.

Those in poverty typically pay the NEXT tax at an INFINITE RATE, NOT Mr Ro-Money's piddling 13% (When he pays EVEN THAT). What this means is that when those in poverty pay the NEXT penny in tax, they have to give up some Necessity of Life for themselves and/or their children. .

What have the Tea-GoPers-Kons like YOU have to say to THAT ? ? ? - To actual REALITY instead of INTENTIONALLY poisonous propaganda ? ? ?

Heath what rock are you living under or were you in another country when we had eight long years under Bush and Cheney. Do you remember those years. I will never forget how he sucked all the money out of the surplus to pay for his grudge war. That was when I wanted no part of having the tag of being a Republican. The religious right that pays no attention to a Bible verse telling us to take care of those in need. We gladly seem to take care of people in other countries but hate to care for our own in the USA. No I have no government hand outs except the insurance I paid into all my working years – that is called Social Security. And I have medicare that I pay a premium for each month. Sweetie you should remember to take your meds – they could mellow you out.

okay Dott, I will take my meds. Also you will take 3 times more out of medicare than you ever put in. Forget the program when I need it because you will have voted to keep all your benefits and not have medicare touched or even attempted to be reformed. As long as you have your needs met we can all fend for ourselves when we need it, your selfish

Bush blah, blah, blah I thought you wanted to move forward but all you can do is talk about the past.

Heath the venum you spew tells me that you are one very sad lady or possible a male. What ever you can not discuss a subject without lashing out Just read some of your own posts and you will see what I mean. We live in a wonderful nation with freedoms to speak you mind and I welcome that freedom. So your choice lost – live with it and don't blame Obama. The R & R team hung themselves and have no one to blame but themselves. Sure Obama has not done every thing perfect, intelligent people accept this and then turn the page. But if the Republicans will work with him and not against him maybe he can make things a little better for our nation. Good luck glad you are taking meds for your depression.

after this election which showed the republican party how out of touch they have become. I hope we will see change. the American people are tired of a party that will not listen to them. The majority has spoken now lets move forward.

Enough of the "American people have spoken crap already. What was the popular vote, like 52% to 48% or something like that? Stop acting like it's a clear mandate and your choice has been vindicated and everyone else is an idiot.

For all practical purposes, 1/3 of Americans love Obama, 1/3 can't stand him, and the remaining 1/3 chose the lesser of two evils. In the next election, if the country is even more down the tubes than it is today, it will be 52% – 48% in favor of a Republican. Hopefully by then no one will still be blaming George Bush for everything that ails us, although if Obama could run again I'm sure we'd still hear it.

Then you better talk to Karl Rove and them bc they sure did think they could buy votes along with the election. I mean they just knew they won bc Mitt Romney didn't even wright a concession speech and was ready to launch a website as the winner. Why should the middle class pay more taxes so that the rich can continue to live high off the hog. You damn straight we built it.

it does beg the question doesn't it
All that Money from Mega donors, the super rich elite, so used to getting their own way when ever they please. Oops
The super pacs have lot of explaining to do to their masters surely

The Rich also played a part in building it. I personally think Democrats are ingrates, as the rich pay the lion share of the taxes, and does Obama that demonize them appreciate what they provide.

Your probably a person that just shows up for work, and never worries about everything coming together at the end of the day. Many rich work long hours planning, designing, financing, and solving problems, and likely long after you go home at night.

For you to claim Socialism is what Obama want is to have no idea what socialism is.
Take a little time to read
The US political spectrum of Right, Far Right and down Right crazy, does not redefine Socialism.
It has an actual meaning that is not subject to your view. i
It is in fact subject to a definition not bias

Isn't a socialist state one owns/runs businesses (as opposed to privately owned businesses)? I don't see much of that anywhere....even in Sweden which, (though it is news to Swedes, who have a better standard of living than we do) according to Glenda Beck's "sources" is a hopeless socialist welfare state. Where do you get your info... Glenda Beck... Crox News????

It seems that the Republican leaning folks are quick to paint the 50% of those who voted to Re-elect Obama are takers.Granted, there are way too many folks milking the system–and they should be dealt with severely–but there are other so-called takers who do not merit being demeaned: Those include people on disability, including Veterans of all wars, some senseless, some not, people who on Social Security–they actually paid it forward, and paid into the fund–drawing it now is NOT an entitlement in my view-it is their right. Active duty military, serving in war zones are exempt from paying federal taxes–who can argue with that–and if you do–why not join and get your skin in the game. We had lots of people on the so called dole before Obama became President–and during his tenure, we had more because so many people lost their jobs because of the criminals on Wall Street–. There are about 110,000 millionaires by the way who paid no federal taxes–what do you call them?? Romney?? No–he paid 13% –at least that is something. The best solution is no solution–let the fiscal cliff happen–we dont need to be the policemen of the world–we should mind our own business, and let the middle-east implode on itself–. The expiration of the Bush tax cuts will solve a lot of our problems and change the trajectory of our debt problem. Suffer the little and big children.

Actually they don't pay the lions share by a long shot. Facts are the rich take the most ....it is the rich who have figured out how to exploit the tax code to benefit them greatly with tax-breaks, write-offs, and the massive corporate welfare, tax shelters used by corporations, government contractors, corporate farmers, to line the very few at the top...breaks which are not available to the average person on social security or a day labor job. We no longer have a democracy we have an oligarchy....Since the 1980's we have had a system that vastly favors the very rich....in other words Citizens United is working hard to make sure they make anyone not independently wealthy serf's.

You could just hear him crying "but mommie I wanted to be president". So she hands him a million and tells him to build another elevator for his cars and it will make him feel better. He wanted it so bad that he flip flopped on anything that he thought would make people vote for him. Few of us were concerned that this little rich boy born a millionaire would have the reins to our country. Most of us saw right through him. He just has nothing to do so wanted to be president of the greatest nation on earth. He is so use to getting what he wanted all of his life that it was a hard pill to swallow. Thanks to all who saw through him.

Let's close some loopholes. People with carried interest income can pay social security tax on that. People who invest money overseas can keep the profits on it if it continues to be invested at risk, but deposits in tax haven countries will be taxed as if they were repatriated. If the government buys your waterfront home due to a total flood loss, you get complete insurance coverage to build at least a half mile inland. First line medical coverage for colds and obviously minor injuries can be provided by nurses in drugstores rather than doctors in emergency rooms. There are lots of ways we can make our system more honest and create more worthwhile jobs at the same time.

After the last election, and how Democrats have abused and demonized us that work harder and smarter, I want the House Republicans to push fiscal responsibility as hard as they can.

I pay the highest net effective tax rates, and them going to a welfare and entitlement state is not what I want. Wasted green pork, that ends up back in Obama's campaign funds is also not acceptable. Using my tax dollar to buy votes, is also not acceptable.

All income should be taxed at same rate. There should be no loopholes. Income from wages, Income from real estate, income from capital gains, Income from dividends. This will lower tax rate for all. Another way would be to eliminate all taxes except a sales tax. Anytime money changes hands there is a tax. Rich will pay more because they spend more. Poor will also pay. Seems like a great solution. Lots of jobs eliminated at IRS. No filing tax returns. Gotta love kiss principal. (keep it simple stupid)

There will be paperwork. Ever fill out a sales tax report form for your busness? Ever had your business audited by the state revenue dept. to make sure you turned over all the tax? It is not a simple thing. And by the time you have taxed food from the time it leaves the farm until the time it has landed in your supermarket basket, it will have had the price doubled or tripled because of the tax. I guess starving the poor to death would get rid of them.

A man has a vision, a business idea. It works. He finds a demand and is able to satisfy it. But what is this? He needs help? He can't carry this great load of work alone? Why does ANYONE think it was ever fair that he should become a millionaire and still pay minimum wage to all the people doing the work that got him there. We must reinvent what an American Business is. If the business prospers, all levels of its hierarchy should prosper proportionately!

"Abused and demonized us that work harder and smarter"? Hardly.

In the days to come, you will continue to hear the CEOs, the business owners and the ultra rich speak their mantra, that we are all out to "Redistribute the wealth". To an extent, they are right. But only that wealth that has already been maldistributed for decades. No successful company should rise its owners and CEOs to Millionaire status, while still paying its working force minimum wage. As a company prospers, so must all its hierarchy proportionately.